Selectively-operated circuit-controlling device



Oct. '16 ,1923. 1,470,725 F. M. GODDARD SELEGTIVELY OPERATED CIRCUITCONTROLLING DEVICE Filewuy r 2 1919' 2a fi /nv e/7f0/ Frederic/r MGoddard.

Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

' 'unirsni stares v FREDERICK M. eoDDAnD, or BROOKLYN,

titans n w orrica ivn'w- YonK, assren'oia 'ro w nsrnn-n Erna- 'rnroCOMPANY, rnoonroaarnn, or new roan, n. 1%,. A coarona'riongor NEW YORK.

Application iiiee iul ie, 1919;

step-by-step type.

In electrical switching and signaling sys-- terms it IS often desirableto selectively con-c t-rolfrom onestation a plurality of circuitslocated at each of a plurality of waystaswitchingimeans requiring aminimum of tions. Especially in systems for the location of sources-ofmechanical vibrations; in which it is desiredxtoselectively observevfrom one point the response thereto of a plurality ofvibrationdetectors,'it is advantageous to arrange such-detectorsin'fixedly positioned groups within an area to be patrolled, the detectrs being selected from the observing point. In one system of this naturewhich has given satisfactory service in the detection of marine orsubmarine vessels within an area switching means provided for each ofseveral groups of detectors may he selectively advanced toaupredetermined niechanically retained position and. thereafter maybeselectively advanced. to other electrically retained positions forcontrolling electrically operated switching means to associate thedetectors of the selecte'd 'group' with suitable transmission linesleading to the receiving means at the observers statioin Since suchapparatus is usually submerged, and is therefore not readily lCCQSSlblBiit is desirable-to simplify the apparatus as much as ma be o'ssible inorder to reduce to a minimum the necessity of inspection and adjustment, and due to the comparatively great distances of theway-stations from the ob serving station, it is also desirable to employoperating current. i I

, It is an ohject ofthe invention toprovide a new and improvedselectively operated cirsELEc'rivnLY-ornnArnD mam-commune Dnvrcn;

Serial no; 310,597.

. cuitfcontrolling device which is simple, compactand inexpensive. I

To attain this object in accordance, with a feature of theinvention,a'selectively operated ste-p-by-step device is equipped with a:

unitary switching mechanism adaptedto selectively-assume a pluralit-yofoperated posis tioiis in response to thead-vancement :otthe step-by-stepdevice beyond a predetermined 1 position and to controla plurality ofcir-' cuits in each of such positions. 'More specifij cally amovingelement of the step-by-step device is provided with means engagingan aim of a'switching mechanism upon the 'at-x tainment of apredetermined position by the element to cause a plurality of contactarms to travel over and to selectively connect withbank of contacts." cAnother featurecf the invention resides I inthe use of resilientconductors" forthe electrical connection of the contact-'armso-f aswitching mechanism, which conductors.- -alsoserveto restore themechanism to its normal position; More specifically,,icoiled metallicsprings are introducedv in and form parts of the conductors leading tothe con-- tact arms, such springs being stretched asthe contact arms-ofthemechanism are adshows a side elevation of the sameyFigt 3 I show s aperspective of the unitary switching mechanism removed fromthea'ssociated'selector, and with portions of'the associatedconductorsomittec; Fig.4; shows a plan view'of the switching mechanismin'an ad vanced position, and Fig. 5 is a detailed view illustrating aposition which the mechanism assumes ln itsoperation. A In the drawings,thetmechanism embody-1 ing the invention is shown as appliedrto,: andcontrolled by, a selectively operated circuit controlling devicedisclosed in Patent NO. 1,343,256,1natented June 15, 1920, by

Joseph C. Field, similar reference characters being employed todesignate such corresponding parts of the structure disclosed in theabove-mentionedapplication as are necessary to a proper understanding ofthe invent-ion. However, itis'understood that any 7 other suitablecircuit controlling device of this general'character may beused in connection with the invention;

A shaft 208 is supportedby a suitable lower bearing 205 in a supportingplate.

' member 200 cooperating with an upper adjustable bearing 206inalignment therewith, threaded into a substantially U-shaped verticalside extension-204E ofthe plate member 200 and secured againstdisplacement by a lock nut 207; A plate member 209secured to theshaft208 at an intermediate point thereof and rotatable therewith, is provid7 ed with an'extension 210 and an actuating arm 203 diametricallyopposite thereto'fl" substantially fan shaped inember'2il of' ;1Il

'sulating material is secured to the extension 210by meansof rivets orin some other'suitable manner and carries radially extending; contactarms 213 to 216, inclusive, secured thereto by means of rivets orin someother suitable 'manner. Each contact arm, conr shown to provide amaximum amount ofrestructed of lightweight metal and formed as siliencywith a'minimum amountof-friction,

' 'lating "material secured to thefplate member carries a suitablecontact "point at the GX- treme end thereof,wh1chpo1nt rests upon,thdupper surfaceof a contact bank. The

contact bank comprises afbase 21'. of insui r200 by means ofscrew 218,"in which base a plurality of contact pins 219 to 230, inch sive, areembedded sothat: their upper ends 7 a are substantially flush with theupper sunface of the base and their lower ends project sufficientlybelow thejlower surface of the base to provide suitable terminals; forthe attachment of wlres'or other conductors V thereto. The contact pinsare arranged in its the arc of a circle described around the axis of theshaft 208 and corresponding to the arc descrlbed by the contactarms'upon, the roy tation of the shaft. A plurality of termi nals 231for connection with the electrical circuits to be controlledare'securedto the base 217 by rivets or in some other suitable manner and may beelectricallyconnected to the lower ends of contact pins 221 to 228, (in

accordance with. circuit conditions) incl'u-V' sive', bysuitableconductors (not shown) or:

to rigid metallic conductors 233 to, 236, in: elusive, as desired, Therigid conductors 233 to 236, inclusiye, are so formed'as to terminate atpoints substantially over the contact 7 arms 213 to216 inclusive,respectively, and

;- arevelectricallyconnected by means of solder, or in someothersuitable manner, with 'tact arms.

metallic coiled springs 237 to 24:0 inclusive,

which extend to and are electrically connected with vertical terminalsformed 1n the ends of the contact arms213 to 216 inclusive,respectively. A member 241 suitably secured to the plate 200by screwvorjotherwise, is provided with upturned portions 242 and 24:3 to=lim1tthe movement of the fanshaped member 211 and the associated con- Theassembled mechanism, as shown in Fig. 3, may be mounted upon a devicesuch as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent tures in the plate 14thereof to receive screws 201 and 2 1 1, the latter of which cooperateswith screw 218 to properly position the base 217 on the-plate member200,21

by the provision'of: suitablythreaded aper- 7 projecting pin: 202 alsobeing suitably 1 mounted upon. the upper surface of the wheel 20. v

As shown inthedrawings, 5,-5 designates the windingsof an electromagnetcontrolling a centrally pivoted armature fi, which 5, 5 and the cores onwhich they are wound are supported in a bracket 19 mounted on a suitablebase (not shown), preferably of insulating material. Carried byIthejsup-fi porting bracket 19- is a frame composed of front and backmembers of plates 14 and 15. fastened together, between which there f I1S2, pin 16 upon whlch the lever 12f'is pivot ed in position'to movethesteppingpawl 13 into engagement: with a ratchet wheel 17 mounted upona shaft'18'journaled in'the framemembers 14: and 15. By means: of a.

spring 4C5 the ratchet wlieelili' isnormally retained in a position witha'pin 56therein 1n engagementwith a stop member 57; The stepping-pawl 18is normally. held against tached at one end tothe pawl 13 andat theother to the pivoted lever 12. An adjustable :astop pin 50 providedinfthe baclr frame member15 by the action of sprin, i51atpin 52mounted'in a projection of the front: 7.

frame member 14; limits the forward travel;

of the pawl 13. means of a spring -13 secured at one end to the lowerendof lever 12-and at the other to anIarn1'36 mounted on the b'ackframemember 15 (see Figs; 1

5 ever 12 is normally had. in the. position shown in'Fig. 1 with thesteppin pawl 'out'of: engagement with-the ratchet wheel 17. The pins 9and'lO" engage the H pivoted lever 12 upon opposite'sid'es ofth'e pivotaxis or pin 16 and upon-opposite faces" a {in sucha manner that witheach movement .of the armature 6, in eitherdirection, the

against an insulating knob'or roller 37-car ried by the lever 12. Thespring 35' is sotensioned or bowedthat in the neutral positron ofthearmature the free end of said -spring, which is provided with .acurved projection 38, extends: insidethe .circumierence of-a' circledescribed by a holding member 55 in the movement of the contact carrylngmember 20. As the. armature 6 moves, however, in response to. current impulses. through the windings 5, 5 of the electroniagnet,;the movementsof the lever 12..will.move the pro ect1on 38 at the free s end of saidspring outwardly beyond the margin of the contact carrying member 20.

A holding pawl is provided for pre venting the dropping baclcoftheratchet 6 is traveling wheell? durinmthe time that the armature from oneextreme position to the other in response to a change in polarity of theenergizing current. As shown, this pawl 4-0 ispivotally mounted upon thepin 16, and is adapted to be moved into engagementwith the ratchetwheel.v 17 by means of a spring 41 secured at one end to the tail 2 p ofthe holding .pawl40 and at the other to an arm39 mountedupon the backframe i member-115. (see Figs. .1 and 5), andto be moved out ofengagement therewith by a pin i2 in one end of the lever 12. The pin 42normally lreepsthe holding pawl 40 out a of engagement with the {ratchetwheel 17 against the action ofspring 41. It will be T noted byreferenceto Figsul' and 5, (the right-hand .end of'arm ature ti being attractedin Fig. 5)'*that at the. timelthe lever 12 is moved by the:arm 8 intoposition to bring the stepping. pawl13 into engagement with the ratchet,,-wheel 17, the pin .42 will be separated. from the endzof thetailofpawl 40. As the arm 8 moves in the reverse di-- rection and the lever-l2is moved about its pivot pin 16 by the-spring 43, there will be a shortinterval of time before the projection 42 will engage the holdingpawl40; While the holding pawl 40 will actuallybe moved out'oi engagementwith the ratchet wheel 17 before the reen'gagement therewith of thestepping pawl 13, thetime intervening is so short that it will notbe-suflicient for the spring to overcome the inertia of the ratchetwheel 17 and its associated'parts.

The wheel 20 may thus be advanced by a suitable series and arrangementof successive impulses flowing through. magnet windings f 55, suchimpulses being ofalternatmg polarity, until the'grooved endof theholding member is engagedbythe projection 38v of member 35,..in whichposition the element 20 is mechanically retained. Pin

202 simultaneously advances until it isin contact with-the actuating arm203 but does not change the positionof such arm. How; ever, anadditionalimpulse of alternating.

polarity causes the pin 202to: advance and therebymove the arm 203apredetermined distance until the contact arms 213 to 216 i nclusive,.are in engagement with contact pins 219'," 222, 225 and 228respectively.

Anotherclosely succeeding impulse will advancethe arms until theydisengage such contact-pins and another closely succeeding impulse. ofalternating polanitywill ad- Vance, the armsuntil they are inengagementv with pins 220,223,226 and 229 respectively,

as shown in Fig. 4:. Similarly,: another closely succeeding impulsepolarity will cause the arms to disengage the previously-engaged contactpins and the next closely succeeding impulse of opposite,

polarity will advance them until they are in engagement. with contactpins 221, 224,

227 and 230 respectively. p The contact arms may be retained in any suchadvanced posiof opposite a tions as long as'the current is unchanged inpolarity or is not removed from the coils 55 for a period longer thanthat intervening between the closely succeeding stepping impulses.Another closelyfsucceeding im pulse of alternatingpolarity will causethe arms to disengage the last-mentibn ed contact pinsand willf'also, asdescribed in the above-mentionedapplication, cause the dis engagementotthe projection 38 of the arm 35 from the member 55, thereby releasingthe selector and restoring the step-'bystep wheel 20 to normal. 7

As clearly shown in Fig. 4 when compared with Fig. 1, the springs 237to- 240 inclusive,

are stretcl1ed-'as-the associated arms 213 to- 216 inclusive areadvanced, thus storing energy therein so thateach spring tends torestore its associated arm to normal. The

forcesthus applied by the springs at diiferent points to thefan-shapedmember 21-1 cooperate to cause the" restoration of such member, and thecontact arms carried there by, to normal when the wheel 20 is releasedto disengage the pin 202 from the arm 203. r

The removal of current from the coils 5- 5 .for aperiod ofsufiicientlength, unless the final or "releasing impulse has been received,

will restore 'thewheel 20 until the projection 38 'reenga'ge thehooked'end of member 55.

Qonsequenth the contact arms 213 to 216 inclusive, are thereuponrestored to their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 1, irrespective ofthe particular tron occupied thereby.

It is evident that with the structure emadvanced posii125,

bodying'the invention,1a pluralityof circuits at a selected station maybe individually controlled from i a distantstati'on withoutstation; l V

7 VJ hat is claimed is: V U 1- In a selectively operated :ci reuit eomrel'e' sing the meensused for selecting the trolling device, &- step-bystep element, a'n

v el'eetromegnet, an armature responsive to a definite sequence ofcurrent impulses 1 through the. Winding of the: electromagnet,

for advancing the element step-by-step into yond the pre'deternined'position in response and renderedelfeetive by the cleenergizationV. of; the" electroin-a-gnet to return the element: toits predeterminedposition-,- and means for returning the movable content to its normalposition upon the return of the element to its predeterinined position.

241111 a selectively operated circuit con-- trolling device stepbye'stepelenient, van eleetroinagnet; armature responsive to current impulsesthrough the winding. of:

they eleetromagnet, stepping means con= trolled by the armature foradvancing the element step-by-step "into a predetermined position ,f;tplurality of-stationary conta'ets,'-

ev rotatable shaft, ai' pl urality ofl contact arms gcerried' thereby,an actuating enuncarried by the'sha;ft,- and means cooperating therewith and carried by the step-by-step element for rotating the shafttocause the contact arms-to selectively engage the contacts-upon I thewedvancenient' of the 'eleni'ent beyond thepredetrmined position. ii

-- 3-. ;Ina seleetiVel-V- operated 'cir'cu-it con 7 trolling device, atstep-by=step element, an

'electrornegnet, an armature r'espon'sive to feurrent impulses throughvthe Winding of the eleetrom-agnet',- "tstepplng means con- ,troll'ed bythe armature for advancing the element step-by-stepfinto a predetermined1 position, a pluralityof stationnryjeoxita'cts;

a rotatable shaft, a plurality of contactiarm's carried therebypnn;actuating-arm alsocn'rried by the shaft, means cooperating therewithn-ndcarried by the step-by step element for rotating the shaft to- Cause thecontact arms to selectively engages the stationary con-ta'cts'upontheadvencement of the eleinent, heyond the predetermined position,

means controlled and lend'ered' elfectigve'by the deenergizeti'on of;the eleetromagnet to return the element to its predetermined posie 7 malposition upon the tion, and means independent ofthefelement forreturning the-contact arnis to their nor eleetromatgnet.

In a". selectively operated switching de- 1 'vic e, anelectronfagnet, abracket supporting thejelectrorhsgnet, e framev removably deenergizationof the gamma mullet on the "bracket 5nd minin estep'-by-step element,stepping means there- 1 for, an armature responsive to current im pulsesthrough the Windingof the electromagnet and controlling thesteppingineans, a second frame removably mounted upon thefirst-mentioned frame and bank of stationery contacts an'de pluralityofcontact-arms for engagement therewith under control of the stepa-by stepelement mountedonsaid sec'gond frame. --f I .5. In a selectivelyoperated'switchingde ice in combination, a ste -byste element, an Ielectrome'gnet,- an armature therefor reg spons'ive to current impulsesthrough-the stephy-step into it predeterminedposition,

otedcontact arm controlledb y the ste -by: step. element in themoVeme'ntthe'reof from the pi edetermined position for selectivelyengaging" the-station'ziry contacts. c

6. In a-lsele'ct-ively operutedswitohin-g de vice in combination, 2tstep-"by ste p element; an electromagnet, enerm'atur'e therefor respons-ive to cur-rent impulses through the electromagnet, stepping meanscontrolled by the armature for advancingthe element step-by-step into apredetermined position, 7

86 V electromagnet stepping meansfcontrolleclbyf thelarni'etur'e foradvancing the-element a plurality ofstntionary cont'zicts and a 'pii i'a plurality of stationary contacts, e; ivoted contact arm, and meanscontrolled the step-byestep element in the niOYQInentZth'ereof fromthepredeterm-indposition foriceusing the pivoted arm to selectivelyengage the stationary contacts 111i selective y 1. vice in :c'onbination; a step byest'ep eleinent,

V anelec'tromugnet; an ;arfneture therefor re .SD'OIISIVG to currentimpulses; throngh'- the electro'megnet;l'stepping means controlled bythe varlnatu'r'e 'for advancing new element" step by-step into itpredeterm ned position;

operated switching f de lUU Epl'urality otstationary contacts, and a contecti-ng member normally stetiona-ryduringf the advancement oft heeleinent into its pre determined? position end-"thereafter con trolledby the movement ofthe element froth the predetermined position forselectively engaging 'theL'stelt-ionnry contents.

8. In aseleetively operated circuit'controlling dGVlC, an element, aineleetrornegnet.

impulses means responsive to; current I through the windinggof theelectroniagnet 'for advancing the element into n predetermined position;a plurality of station'ary contacts, a moyable" contact selectively en}gagingfthe stiltion-ary contacts upon the ad' vancement of the elementbeyond the prede termifned position in response to'nd'dition'al impulsesthrough theiwinding of the elec'- troinagnet, means for retn'rning theelement to its predeterminedposition; and independent means forreturning th movable coil-tact to it's n'on'nel position. c

9.,In a seleeti vely operated switching deto'its predetermined positionthereafter con-Y vice in combination, an element, an eleetrotrolled bythe movement of the element from 10 magnet, means responsive to currentimits said preterminecl position'forselectively pulses through theelectromagnet for adengaging the'stationary contacts. vancing theelement to a predetermined po y In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribesition, a plurality of stationary contacts, my name this 10th day ofJuly A. D., 1919.

and a contacting member normally station- V ary during the advancementof the element FREDERICK M. GODDARD.

